Department for Transport

Trans-European Networks

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect the European Commission’s draft proposal for a Regulationofthe European Parliamentand of the Council (1.8.2018 COM(2018) 568 final 2018/0299 (COD)),amending Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013, with regard to the withdrawal of the UK from the EU will have on the UK economy after Brexit.

baroness sugg: The Government has made no assessment of the effect of this proposal, which is the result of the European Union’s own preparations for a “no deal” scenario. It is a change to the definition of the corridor which will enable the Republic of Ireland to maintain direct links to the mainland of Europe. The government is making similar plans for the unlikely event of a “no deal” scenario, but is confident of achieving a deal, which is in the interests of all parties.

Railways: Freight

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of industry support for continuing to link UK rail freight networks to European Rail Freight Corridors after Brexit; and what impact that would have on the level of rail freight traffic in the UK.

baroness sugg: Rail freight plays an important role in supporting the UK’s future prosperity after we leave the EU, and our connections to the continent through the Channel Tunnel are vital.Use of the North Sea – Mediterranean Corridor has been negligible in the UK, with only one path requested to date. Freight operating companies prefer to use access rights granted under national rules which offer greater certainty, with over 2,000 rail freight services running through the Channel Tunnel in 2017. To facilitate the continued smooth functioning and operation of cross-border rail services, the Government has agreed with the Article 50 Task Force that the UK will negotiate bilateral arrangements with France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as the Republic of Ireland.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how HS2 will ensure the stability of the tracks when they pass over large sink holes in the areas of old mine workings; when a detailed geological survey will be done in those areas; and how the track alignment and levels will be maintained in areas where continuous settlement is likely.

baroness sugg: HS2 Ltd is following an established process of risk management to ultimately ensure the stability of high-speed rail infrastructure in all areas. This includes detailed desk study (the acquisition and interpretation of existing available data), field investigation including geological survey, interpretation of ground conditions, design, construction and maintenance through operation. At each stage the level of site-specific knowledge increases and the risk is reduced. Mining-related hazards will be investigated within this process, and will be mitigated. Voiding in the ground due to the presence of mineworkings is such a hazard, since if left untreated it could result in sinkholes.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what UK and European standards are being used by HS2 to determine the design and layout of rolling stock, tunnels and cross passages, the procedures for evacuation of passengers, and fire safety in its tunnel sections.

baroness sugg: HS2s design complies with the EU Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) as required under Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011. These specifications define the basis of an integrated mainline railway covering rolling stock; energy; infrastructure; control, command & signalling, safety in railway tunnels and persons of reduced mobility structural and transverse subsystems. In addition HS2 is compliant with wider UK legislation (e.g. the Railways Act 1993 or various electrical safety legislation etc) which imparts additional requirements and standards onto the railway. HS2 Rolling stock is also compliant with the Railway Group Standards (RGSs) and (where appropriate) Railway Industry Standards (RISs) as this is part of the licence conditions for operating on Network Rail infrastructure.

Channel Tunnel Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has so far been spent by HS1 in settling Part 1 claims in accordance with its Compensation Code; and what percentage of HS1’s overall property spend that represents.

baroness sugg: This is not information the Department for Transport holds and is something that would be held by London & Continental Railway (LCR).

Trans-European Networks

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding the UK has received under TEN-T programmes during the last five years; and whether they will make a similar amount of funding available for the five years after Brexit.

baroness sugg: For the current Multi-Annual Financial Framework (2014-2020), we have received approximately €345 million. Under the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will continue to participate in all EU programmes, including the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), until programme closure. This means that UK projects will continue to be able to bid for CEF funding until the end of the programme in 2020. To provide even more certainty, the Chancellor has guaranteed funding for certain EU funded projects agreed before the end of 2020. This ensures that UK organisations, such as charities, businesses and universities, will continue to receive funding over a project’s lifetime if they successfully bid into EU-funded programmes before the end of 2020, even in the unlikely event of a no-deal scenario.

Buses: Exhaust Emissions

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 17 September 2018 (HL10203), how much capital grant was paid to the bus industry to develop low emission vehicles in 2015/16 and 2016/17; and what is their estimate of the capital grant for each of the next two financial years.

baroness sugg: In the 2015/16 financial year there was no capital grant paid to the bus industry for low emission buses. For 2016/17 bus operators and local authorities received £11.82 million to support the purchase of low emission buses and supporting infrastructure, and for 2017/18 they received £13.95 million. They will receive £4.63 million in 2018/19 From 2019 to 2021 they will receive a further £48 million to support the purchase of ultra-low emission buses and supporting infrastructure. Local authorities also received £7 million in 2015 for retrofitting existing bus fleets to a Euro VI standard, with an additional £40 million awarded in February 2018.

Railways: Flood Control

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to protect the railways in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall from flood water damage since 2012.

baroness sugg: Network Rail have undertaken flood resilience work since 2012 at the following locations in Devon and Somerset: Cowley Bridge, Athelney, Hele & Bradninch, Flax Bourton, Whiteball and Axe & Broom. These were part of a programme of ten flood resilience schemes representing an investment of £31.3m by the Government.

Railway Stations: Cambridge

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 18 September (HL10000), whether the estimated £46.8 million national and regional economic benefit derived from the building of the new Cambridge South station represents an annual benefit or the total over a period of time.

baroness sugg: The estimated national and regional benefits in the Strategic Outline Business Case are for the standard 60 year appraisal period used by the Department for infrastructure schemes.

Ports

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of Brexit on the productivity of the UK's ports, and(2)the likely impact on the UK's ports of a no-deal Brexit.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty's Government is seeking to negotiate arrangements whereby trade will flow as frictionlessly as possible, facilitating continuing growth in unit load traffic and port productivity. In the event of a no-deal outcome, the aim is to ensure that UK border controls at the frontier enable traffic to continue to flow efficiently through our ports.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Company Accounts: Standards

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their Framework for the UK–EU partnership: Company law (accounting and audit)presentation, published on 13 June, what is their intended process for endorsing the International Accounting Standards for use in the UK.

lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is working to develop a UK framework for endorsement and adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) following the UK’s departure from the EU. The new framework will be brought into effect by secondary legislation made under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The Act places limitations on government powers with regard to transferring functions that are currently undertaken by EU agencies to UK authorities. As a result, any UK specific process will replicate the existing EU process for endorsement and adoption of IFRS to the extent it is possible to do so within the context of the existing UK companies’ reporting and regulatory framework. BEIS is working with stakeholders to ensure that decisions about the process are informed by the views of stakeholders that represent users and preparers of accounts as well as their regulators. We will lay the Statutory Instrument in Parliament in due course.

Audit: Fines

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 1 February (HL5096), how much in fines was received and passed on to other bodies in each of the yearsfrom 2004 to 2011 before the Statutory Auditors and Third Country Auditors Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/649) came into effect.

lord henley: We are informed by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) that the following fines were imposed under the FRC’s Accountancy Scheme from 2004 to 2011 and passed to the participating body which met the related case costs. Year Total Fines received Fines passed to the accounting bodies2004NIL 2005NIL 2006NIL 2007NIL 2008£12,000CAI2009NIL 2010NIL 2011£1,640,000ICAEW KeyICAEW: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and WalesCAI: Chartered Accountants Ireland

Work Experience

lord holmes of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Henley on 17 May (HL7805, HL7806, HL7807, and HL7809), what progress they have made in fulfilling their commitments, in particular the commitments to (1) hold a roundtable discussion with employers and leaders from sectors that commonly use interns, (2) update guidance for employers and workers on the rules for paying interns, and (3)publish further details on enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.

lord henley: The Government is clear that all interns who are conducting work should be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. We will publish updated guidance in due course to ensure employers are clear on their responsibilities. This guidance clarifies the checks employers need to make to ensure they are paying interns properly.The Government has been focusing enforcement efforts towards employers of interns. HM Revenue and Customs have contacted over 2,000 employers found to be advertising on the internet for unpaid internships. Each employer is written a letter to make the law clear, and to set out the risk of further enforcement action. HM Revenue and Customs will shortly expand this approach. Government Ministers are planning a roundtable meeting with employers later this year.The Government recently published National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage: government evidence on compliance and enforcement, 2017 to 2018. This is publicly available in the attached.



NATIONAL LIVING WAGE AND NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
(PDF Document, 538.39 KB)

Energy: Waste

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage greater use of energy from waste.

lord henley: We recognise the important role of energy from waste in promoting clean growth, decarbonisation and reducing waste to landfill, but it must not compete with greater recycling, reuse and prevention. We provide support for Energy from Waste with Combined Heat and Power through the Contract for Difference and Renewable Heat Incentive schemes, but we do not provide support for energy generation alone as it is economically viable without support

Director of Labour Market Enforcement

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the Director of Labour Market Enforcement's Strategy Document for 2018–19; and what plans they have to implement its recommendations.

lord henley: The Government is carefully considering all 37 recommendations made by the Director of Labour Market Enforcement and we will respond in due course.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

China: Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of alleged human rights violations against China's Uighur population and of reports that up to one million Uighur have been sent to re-education camps; and what representations they have made to the government of China on these issues.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and continued reports of the Chinese Government’s deepening crackdown; including credible reports of re-education camps and wide spread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities. I raised our concerns about Xinjiang with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during my visit to China on 22 July 2018. The Foreign Secretary also raised our concerns about the region with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to China on 30 July 2018. The UK raised our concerns about Xinjiang in our Item 4 statement at the September UN Human Rights Council.

UK Permanent Representation to the EU: Staff

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are currently employed at the UK Representation Office in Brussels; and what estimate they have made of the cost of their employment in the current financial year.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people they estimate will be employed at the UK Representation Office in Brussels in the financial year 2019–20; and what they estimate to be the cost of that employment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep) in Brussels currently employs over 150 people, comprising both permanent civil servants from multiple Government Departments and locally recruited staff. We are therefore unable to provide a breakdown of employment costs as this data is not held centrally by the FCO and to compile it would incur disproportionate cost. We keep the size and shape of UKRep under constant review to ensure it is appropriate to deliver the UK’s objectives.

India: Dalits

lord harries of pentregarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of India about the arrest on 28 August of five Indian Dalit human rights activists during simultaneous police raids conducted in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Faridabad, Pune, Ranchi, and Goa.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Any allegation of human rights abuse is of conern and the FCO believe must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. The Government remains committed to promoting and defending human rights and we expect all countries to comply with their international legal obligations in this regard.We have not raised this particular case with the Government of India, but we do raise concerns more broadly where necessary. The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions continue to monitor the human rights situation in India and work with civil society on projects that protect and promote human rights. For example, our officials in India helped create the first ever network of Dalit Women Human Rights Defenders trained as paralegals.

Benin: Human Rights

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Benin.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government strongly supports the delivery and upholding of human rights for all. Benin have made welcome progress on human rights, abolishing the death penalty and implementing the Children's Code, adopted in 2015.The continued practice of ritual infanticide in Benin remains deeply troubling and we continue to urge the Government to eradicate this practice.The Government of Benin continues to harmonize national legislation with international conventions, taking measures, particularly in the security sector, to improve the human rights situation.

Iran: USA

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United Statesabout the objectives of the Iran Action Group created by the United States State Department on 16 August, in particular the commitment to a whole-of-government effort to change the Iranian regime’s behaviour.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Ministers and officials across Government regularly discuss Iran policy with their US counterparts, including staff in the Iran Action Group. The Prime Minister and President Trump most recently discussed Iran policy when they met at the UN General Assembly in September. Where we have differences, we discuss these frankly, but we are also clear about the areas where we agree, such as the need to address Iran’s destabilising regional behaviour and missile activity. We await more detail from the US on their proposals on the way forward.

Iran: Guided Weapons

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have sought information from the Iranian authorities about the purpose of a development in Wadi Jahannam near Baniyas in northwest Syria reported by ImageSat in August, further to reports that it is an Iranian missile factory.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of an Iranian missile factory in northwest Syria. The Government is concerned about Iranian activity in Syria and the risks of escalation of regional tensions. We regularly raise these concerns with the Iranian Government, including during the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa’s visit to Tehran in September, when he was accompanied by the UK’s Special Representative for Syria.

Bahrain: Prisons

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the research conducted by Amnesty InternationalContinuing Lack of Adequate Medical Care in Bahrain's Prisons,published on 28 September, which found that 11 political prisoners suffering from serious medical conditions were deliberately denied treatment and that oversight bodies repeatedly failed to provide effective protection or remedy in cases of human rights violations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office notes the report by Amnesty International published on 28 September. We continue to closely monitor events in Bahrain and where we have concerns, including on prison conditions, we raise them with the Bahraini authorities.We continue to encourage the oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims.

Ali Hajji

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the most recent representations they have madeconcerning the health of Bahraini political prisoner Ali Hajji; and whatassessment they have made of the investigation of his case by oversight bodies.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain continue to monitor the case of Ali Hajji and have raised it with the Government of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

Elias Faisal Al-Mulla

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have made about the case of Bahraini prisoner Elyas Al-Mulla, followingresearch conductedby Amnesty InternationalContinuing Lack of Adequate Medical Care in Bahrain's Prisons, published on 28 September.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office notes the report by Amnesty International published on 28 September. We continue to closely monitor events in Bahrain and where we have concerns, including on prison conditions, we raise them with the Bahraini authorities.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the investigation conducted by the National Institute for Human Rights in Bahrain which denies the reported assault against female activists Hajer Mansoor, Najah Yusuf and Medina Ali; and whatsteps, if any, they have taken to ensure the wellbeing of those activists.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor the cases of Hajer Mansoor, Najah Ahmed Yusuf and Medina Ali. We have raised the cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We understand family members of Ms Mansoor have been in direct contact with the oversight bodies. The UK continues to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any concerns about treatment in detention raised with them.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement issued by Bahraini political prisoners Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf in relation to the restrictions that have been imposed by the prison administration and Major Mariam Albardoli; and how they intend to respond to those women’s call for international intervention in their case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor the cases of Hajer Mansoor, Najah Ahmed Yusuf and Medina Ali. We have raised the cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body. We urge these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. We understand that the National Institution for Human Rights and the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman are aware of these cases and have been in contact with the three individuals.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of thereported rapeof Bahraini female activists Ebtisam Alsaegh and Najah Yusufby members of Bahrain’s National Security Agency.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to Question HL844 on 26 July, when the allegations from Ebtisam Alsaegh were first made.The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments. We also encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies, including the National Institute for Human Rights and the National Security Agency Ombudsman Office.

Israel: Bedouin

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take action to protect the village of Khan al-Ahmar in the Occupied West Bank against the reported attempt by settlers to drive the villagers out using waste water.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK is monitoring the situation in Khan al-Ahmar closely. The Minister for the Middle East urged the Israeli Ambassador to reconsider plans to demolish the village on 11 October and our Ambassador to Israel raised the proposed demolition with the Israeli authorities on 3 October. We have also stressed to the Israeli authorities the importance of Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population from settler violence and intimidation.

Eritrea: UN Human Rights Council

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the likelihood of Eritrea being elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2019–21.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Eritrea were elected to the Human Rights Council on 12 October along with Burkina Faso, Togo, Cameroon, and Somalia for the five African Group seats.

National Cyber Security Centre

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the role of the National Cyber SecurityCentre.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was created in 2016 as part of the Government's five-year National Cyber Security Strategy. The NCSC was set up to help protect our critical services from cyber attacks, manage major incidents, develop cyber skills and technology, and provide advice to citizens and organisations. Its vision is to help make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. The NCSC provides a single point of contact for private and public sector organisations for all matters relating to cyber security.

Religious Freedom

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what ways, if any, they plan to mark the International Day for Freedom of Religion or Belief on 27 October; and whether they will issue guidance to all embassies and overseas missions on the UK policy on such freedom.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Prime Minister demonstrated the British Government's commitment to promoting freedom of religion or belief when in July this year she appointed me as her special envoy. The British Government sees International Religious Freedom Day on 27 October as an opportunity to reflect on the persecution suffered around the world by people due to their religion or beliefs; and to promote respect between communities. The British Government will mark the day on social media, and through an event jointly hosted by myself and Lord Bates on 7 November to mark the occasion. We will also use the occasion to re-issue the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's toolkit on Freedom of Religion or Belief to all of our overseas embassies and missions across our global network, and encourage them to promote and defend this important human right. Finally we are pleased that almost £1 million of funding has been allocated to pursue our freedom of religion or belief policy objectives through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Education Policy Institute Access to children and young people's mental health services—2018, published 7 October, which statesthat the number of referrals to specialist child and adolescent mental health services in England has increased by 26per cent over the last five years.

lord o'shaughnessy: It is not possible to assess any meaningful trend in referral data. The current data available through the mental health services monthly statistics releases are experimental data and the data quality and coverage is improving over time.The information in the Education Policy Institute’s report is based on 54 Freedom of Information responses. We cannot be certain whether the 54 responses received are representative of all providers. It is difficult therefore to be confident in the rise in referrals suggested in the report.

Mental Health Services

lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish their response to the report by the Independent Commission on Adult Acute Psychiatric Care in EnglandOld Problems, New Solutions, published in February 2016; and if so, when.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England intends to publish a formal response to the Independent Commission on Adult Acute Psychiatric Care in England as soon as the contents of the acute mental healthcare pathway have been finalised.An acute mental health care pathway for adults, including best practice case studies, has been developed. This is currently being reviewed to ensure that it is in line with and supports the wider Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and the long-term plan for the National Health Service (which is currently in development following the Government’s announcement of a new five-year funding settlement for the NHS, which would deliver an average annual growth of 3.4% over the next five years). The aim is to ensure that the pathway provides the most helpful and relevant guidance to both commissioners and providers within the current context.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they will provide to Clinical Commissioning Groups for making available the FreeStyle Libre glucose monitoring system to all diabetics who require it.

lord o'shaughnessy: In January 2018, NHS England issued guidance in the form of a letter to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) concerning the provision of glucose monitoring devices. The guidance states that the treatment of diabetes and the provision of glucose monitoring devices is a service commissioned by individual CCGs. Local CCGs are responsible for deciding how they allocate resources dependant on the needs of their local population. A copy of this guidance has been attached.



Letter to CCGs on glucose monitoring devices
(PDF Document, 55.74 KB)

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many adults are currently sectioned under the Mental Health Act 2007; and what is the (1) average, and (2) median lengths of the restrictions to which they are subject.

lord o'shaughnessy: The information is not available in the format requested.

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the powers to restrict an individual’s liberty in the Mental Health Act 2007 are used differently within the regions of England, and between England, Wales and Scotland.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Mental Health Act 1983, as amended in 2007, operates in England and Wales only. The powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 are the same within the regions of England.

Ministry of Defence

Type 23 Frigates

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days each Type 23 frigate has spent at sea from 2016 to date.

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days (1) the HMS Albion, (2) the HMS Bulwark, and (3) all the bay-class LSD(A)s have spent at sea from 2016 to date.

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days each Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker has spent at sea from 2016 to date.

earl howe: The normal operating cycle of every ship involves them entering different readiness levels depending on their programmes and Departmental planning requirements. From records scrutinised, the number of days HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, all the bay-class Landing Ship Dock Auxiliaries, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Tankers and Type 23 Frigates spent at sea in each year from 1 January 2016 to 30 September 2018, is shown below: YEAR201620172018HMS ALBION072120HMS BULWARK13300 RFA CARDIGAN BAY107145124RFA LYME BAY11465107RFA MOUNTS BAY202127130 RFA WAVE KNIGHT17120146RFA WAVE RULER01370RFA TIDEFORCE0046RFA TIDERACE164337RFA TIDESPRING182118RFA TIDESURGE0441 HMS ARGYLL0111117HMS LANCASTER000HMS IRON DUKE132940HMS MONMOUTH11320982HMS MONTROSE04195HMS WESTMINSTER0126116HMS RICHMOND73510HMS NORTHUMBERLAND0065HMS SOMERSET1139561HMS SUTHERLAND127103154HMS KENT67036  The records for the RFA Tide Class also reflect their customisation and trials packages required for their entry into service. While deployed away from the UK, ships will spend days at sea and alongside in ports around the world.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many firm orders for F-35 Lightning aircraft have been placed; and when theyare expected to be delivered.

earl howe: The UK has placed 18 firm orders for F-35B Lightning aircraft, 16 of which have been delivered. The 17th aircraft is expected to be delivered by the end of the year, and the 18th is expected in summer 2019.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Deployable F-35 Operations Facility at RAF Marham is expected to achieve Initial Operating Capability; andwhether it is air-portable.

earl howe: The Deployable F-35 Operations Facility at RAF Marham is ready for use, with formal initial operating capability expected in February 2019. The facility is air-portable.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) Royal Air Force, and(2) Royal Navy, pilots are qualified to fly the F-35 Lightning aircraft.

earl howe: There are currently 26 pilots qualified to fly the F-35 Lightning aircraft, 15 Royal Air Force and 11 Royal Navy.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Deployable F-35 Operations Facility could be deployed on an aircraft carrier.

earl howe: Yes. However, the Deployable F-35 Operations Facility is intended for deployments on land.

Navy

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the numerical strength of (1) the Royal Navy, (2) the Royal Naval Reserve, and (3) the Royal Marines.

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the numerical strength of (1) the British Army, and (2) the Army Reserve.

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the numerical strength of (1) the Royal Air Force, and (2) the Royal Air Force Reserve.

earl howe: The following table contains the numerical strength of the Regular and Reserve Forces at July 2018.  Full Time Trained and Trade Trained StrengthTrained Future Reserves 2020Royal Navy/Royal Marines29,1542,774Army76,87726,789RAF30,2762,557 Full Time Trained and Trade Trained includes UK Regulars, Gurkhas and elements of Full Time Reserve Service Personnel. The figures are published in the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/735714/1_July_2018_-_SPS.xlsx

Warships

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which city or town each Type 23 frigate and Type 45 destroyer is affiliated; and how many official visits or events with its affiliated city or town each has taken part in from 2016 to date.

earl howe: Royal Navy ships can be affiliated with a number of cities, towns and local bodies and organisations. Official visits can be by either Royal Navy ships or by members of a ship’s company attending local engagements. The records of the Royal Navy Regional Commands show the following affiliation visits for Type 23 and Type 45 ships: Type 23Town/CityVisitsHMS ARGYLLArgyll and Bute HMS IRON DUKEKingston Upon Hull and JerseyVisit to Kingston Upon Hull in 2017HMS KENTCounty of Kent and The Confederation of Cinque PortsVisits to both affiliates in 2016HMS LANCASTERCity of Lancaster HMS MONMOUTHCounty of Monmouthshire; Monmouth Town and BoroughVisits to both affiliates in 2016HMS MONTROSEAngus District Council, Town of Montrose and FoweyVisits to both affiliates in 2018HMS NORTHUMBERLANDCounty of NorthumberlandVisit to the county in 2018HMS PORTLANDBorough of Weymouth and Portland and Portland Town CouncilVisits to both affiliates in 2016HMS RICHMONDRichmond and Richmond Upon ThamesVisits to both affiliates in 2017HMS SOMERSETCounty of Somerset, City of Wells and the City of BathVisit to the county and the city of Wells in 2017HMS St ALBANSCity and District of St AlbansVisit to the city in 2018 and District in 2016HMS SUTHERLANDCounty of SutherlandVisit to the county in 2016HMS WESTMINSTERCity of WestminsterVisit in 2018 Type 45Town/CityVisitHMS DARINGCity of Birmingham and GuernseyVisit to Guernsey in 2016HMS DAUNTLESSCity of Newcastle and town of Great Yarmouth HMS DEFENDERCity of Glasgow and City of ExeterVisit to Exeter in 2017HMS DIAMONDCity of Coventry and City of AberdeenVisit to Aberdeen in 2018HMS DRAGONCity of Cardiff and City of York HMS DUNCANCity of Dundee and City of BelfastVisit to Belfast in 2016

Type 31 Frigates

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of why they have not received any compliant bids in the first round of bidding for the Type 31e frigate.

earl howe: I am withholding the information requested as its release would prejudice the commercial interests of the bidders and of the Ministry of Defence.

Department for Work and Pensions

National Insurance

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers were (1) issued, and (2) deleted in each of the last three years for which records are available.

baroness buscombe: The requested information at point (1) is not available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The requested information at point (2) National Insurance Numbers (NINO) are not deleted. Once they have been allocated they are registered on Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) E-NIRS system where they remain indefinitely.

National Insurance

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers were issued in each of the (1) countries of the UK, and (2) regions of England in each of the last three years for which records are available.

baroness buscombe: The requested information is not available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

National Insurance: Foreign Nationals

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government which five countries had the most overseas nationals being allocated National Insurance numbers in each of the last three years for which records are available.

baroness buscombe: The available information on the five countries with the most overseas nationals being allocated National insurance numbers can be found within our published statistics National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals entering the UK. The latest available information is up to June 2018 Below is a table of allocated NINos per country for the top 5 countries for the last three calendar and financial years. Taken from the published stats  Calendar Year1st2nd3rd4th5th2015Romania 169,888Poland 111,270Italy 58,653Spain 50,028Bulgaria 39,1892016Romania 189,023Poland 93,372Italy 62,984Spain 47,741Bulgaria 42,3422017Romania 154,014Poland 61,821Italy 50,880Bulgaria 38,744Spain 35,642Financial Year1st2nd3rd4th5th2015/16Romania 179,242Poland 108,672Italy 57,293Spain 48,498Bulgaria 39,6432016/17Romania 181,882Poland 83,589Italy 61,751Spain 44,075Bulgaria 42,0522017/18Romania 147,956Poland 58,370Italy 47,887Bulgaria 37,223Spain 34,599

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Forestry

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in appointing the National Tree Champion.

lord gardiner of kimble: Sir William Worsley, Chair of the National Forest Company, was appointed as the National Tree Champion on 13 June.

Home Office

Gambling: Mental Illness

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatpercentage of police call outs in the last 12 months they estimate can beattributed to mental health problems connected with gambling-related harm.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally.

Greece: Immigration

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the UK contribution to EU funds, and (2) British seconded personnel to EU agencies to improving conditions for refugees and migrants who have entered Greece; and to what extent such work has reduced overcrowding and improved sanitation in camps on Aegean islands, particularly the Moria camp.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK contributes to the EU budget, through which funding has been made available for Greece. The Greek Government is responsible for the humanitarian response in Greece and makes use of EU funding for this purpose.In support of the EU-Turkey Statement the UK continues to second experts to the EU Commission to support its efforts in working with Greece to improve living and security conditions for migrants in the camps on the island hotspots. The UK also continues to provide experts (flow managers, vulnerability experts, and caseworkers) to support the work of the European Asylum Support Office in Greece in line with the needs identified. UK experts pay attention to protecting vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied children, from smuggling, trafficking and exploitation.The UK separately provides interpreters to support the work of the Greek Reception and Identification Service in the island camps. Our interpreters support the processing of arriving migrants, including through facilitating vulnerability and medical assessments to ensure those most in need of help can access it from the Greek authorities.Our experts and interpreters receive consistent positive feedback from the EU Commission and the Greek authorities for the valuable work they continue to carry out on the islands.

Treasury

Environment Protection: Taxation

baroness brown of cambridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to maintain the Carbon Price Support rates, set in the 2016 Budget, for the period through to 2020–21; and how their policy in the area relates to the Total Carbon Price, established in the Autumn Budget 2017.

lord bates: The government announced at Spring Budget 2016 that the Carbon Price Support rates would remain at £18/tCO2 in 2019-20 and then be uprated by RPI in 2020-21. At Autumn Budget 2017, the government stated that the Total Carbon Price - currently made up of the Carbon Price Support Rate and the EU Emissions Trading System - was set at the right level and that the government would continue to target a similar price. All taxes are kept under review and any changes to the Carbon Price Support rates, and therefore the Total Carbon Price, will be made at fiscal events in the usual way.

Government Departments: Databases

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Government controlled data sets are cited as capital assets on the Whole of Government Accounts; and if so, which ones.

lord bates: The UK follows standards as set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Data sets are an intangible asset and would therefore be covered by IAS 38 Intangible Assets. The UK government follows IAS 38 as adapted for the public sector. The Government Financial Reporting Manual 2018-19 sets out these interpretations and adaptations. The latest available publication of Whole of Government Accounts 2016-17 reports government’s intangible assets as totalling £34.5 billion at 31 March 2017. HM Treasury does not collect information on the value of data sets within this total or where they are held. The accounting policy used by the Whole of Government Accounts in recognising intangible assets is as follows (per page 82 of the 2016-17 accounts): “Intangible assets are recognised if it is probable that they will result in future economic benefits to the government and if their cost can be measured reliably. Intangible assets are initially recognised at cost and subsequently valued based on current value in existing use. Where no active market exists, intangible assets are revalued using indices or another suitable model.”

Public Sector: Assets

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK’s intangible assets are accounted for using an internationally recognised methodology.

lord bates: The UK follows standards as set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), which is an internationally recognised standard setter. The UK Government applies International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adapted and interpreted for the public sector. The relevant financial standard for intangible assets is IAS 38. The Government Financial Reporting Manual 2018-19 sets out these interpretations and adaptations.

Public Bodies: Intellectual Property

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether for accounting purposes they treat intellectual property generated by public bodies in the same way as other EU Member States.

lord bates: The UK follows standards as set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The UK Government applies International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adapted and interpreted for the public sector. EU Member States may also apply IFRS, International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or prepare their accounts on a cash basis. There are no material differences in the standards issued by IASB (IAS 38) and IPSASB (IPSAS 31) on the accounting treatment of intellectual property.

Government Departments: Databases

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is an internationally accepted methodology for valuing raw data assets on government balance sheets; and if not, what consideration they have given to developing one with international partners.

lord bates: The UK follows standards as set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), which is an internationally recognised standard setter. The UK Government applies International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adapted and interpreted for the public sector. Data sets are an intangible asset and would therefore be covered by IAS 38 Intangible Assets. The UK government follows IAS 38 as adapted for the public sector.Under this standard, raw data would be unlikely to meet the definition of a recognisable asset. The government is unlikely to diverge from IFRS accounting standards in the Whole of Government Accounts

Financial Services: Regulation

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) data, and (2) powers available to regulators to manage the systemic risk linked to the non-bank lending, or "shadow banking" sector.

lord bates: The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) of the Bank of England is the body responsible for monitoring systemic risks in the financial sector including risk outside the core banking sector, such as non-bank lending. The FPC performs an annual review of risk and regulation beyond the core banking sector. Following on from this assessment the FPC decides on whether to make a recommendation to the Treasury to grant the FPC an expansion of its regulatory perimeter or additional tools. However, the FPC is not limited to making requests at this time, it can make a recommendation as soon as it identifies a need. The last review was in November 2017 where they decided no such recommendations were needed. The next review will be in their next meeting which is currently scheduled for November 2018. The FPC’s recent assessment (October 2018) on the systemic risks posed by non-bank lending has highlighted the growth in leveraged lending as a concern and the Committee will review the issue again in its next meeting in November.

Government Departments: Databases

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which their methodology for valuing raw data assets on government balance sheets differs from private sector practices.

lord bates: The UK Government follows standards as set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), which are the same standards used by the majority of private sector bodies (for more information please see the Companies Act 2006). Raw data is an intangible asset and would therefore be covered by IAS 38 Intangible Assets. The UK government follows IAS 38 as adapted for the public sector. The Government Financial Reporting Manual 2018-19 sets out these interpretations and adaptations.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for the development of a national strategy for the prevention and treatment of harms resulting from gambling.

lord ashton of hyde: The Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility has taken action to reduce gambling-related harm and ensure that those experiencing problems can access the help they need. As well as reducing the maximum stake from £100 to £2 on B2 gaming machines, government's response announced increased safeguards on online gambling and strengthened protections around gambling advertising. We also set out measures to improve understanding of gambling-related harm, how to prevent and reduce it, the need for treatment and the most effective means of delivering it. We are working closely with the Gambling Commission, Public Health England, GambleAware and health bodies on the follow up to these initiatives. Prior to the Review, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB), the independent advisors to the Gambling Commission, published a three year National Responsible Gambling Strategy in 2016. The strategy identified 12 areas for action by a range of bodies, including developing a better understanding of gambling-related harm and identifying improvements in treatment. Regular progress reports have been published and the Commission is working with the RGSB and partners on the shaping of a future strategy.

Music

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of Brexit on the UK music industry.

lord ashton of hyde: We are committed to supporting and promoting a thriving live music industry and ensuring the continued growth of this vital and vibrant sector. The music industry is one of the UK's greatest success stories, producing an extraordinary level of talent recognised and respected the world over. The UK's decision to leave the EU will not change that. Neither will it diminish our outstanding creativity. My department has held a series of roundtables with the creative sector on the impacts and opportunities affecting the creative industries as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU, including representatives from the music industry regarding touring musicians and crews and we continue to work closely with the sector at official level. We understand that outward mobility of creative talent is key to the success of the creative industries, especially for sub-sectors like music where touring is the life-blood of the industry, and we recognise the importance of temporary movement of goods and equipment for touring musicians. The phased introduction of the Facilitated Customs Arrangement (FCA) we have proposed in the White Paper on The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union would remove the need for customs checks and controls between the UK and the EU, as if they were a combined customs territory. The UK has made significant progress in the separation negotiations, including on intellectual property. In particular, we have agreed that any EU trade mark or Community design that is registered or published before the end of the implementation period will continue to be protected in the UK by a comparable right. The UK-level right will be granted automatically and without any charges or re-examination. We are currently engaging in discussions with the EU on the remaining issues, with the aim of moving swiftly on to the substantive discussions for our future relationship. The UK has one of the best IP regimes in the world, and leaving the EU will not change that.We will continue to deliver quality rights granting services, lead the world in enforcement and actively engage in international IP discussions.

Small Businesses: Digital Technology

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the research conducted by Atos UK & Ireland which found that more than 1.6 million small businesses could grow radically if they improved their digital skills.

lord ashton of hyde: Government welcomes this addition to the digital skills evidence base from Atos, and will consider it alongside other research. As part of Government’s ongoing commitment to raise digital capability, it has established the Digital Skills Partnership (DSP). Lloyds Banking Group and the Federation of Small Businesses lead a DSP delivery group on digital enterprise, which specifically focuses on increasing digital skills among SMEs and charities.